Agent Reptilian: Exploiting Gold|editing

Chapter eighteen: "Please stay safe."

My brain felt like it was being cooked alive. I swear I could feel steam rising from the top of my head.

Another massive bump and the vehicle bounced up and down, along with the passengers inside. The large rectangular shaped windows were open, allowing the humid, but at least fresh air to enter the suffocating space and let us breathe. A small, dusty and noisy fan was glued to the edge, a pathetic attempt at cooling down the bus.

"Ah, such a wonderful breeze." Mademoiselle Picket smiled, a bright orange lipstick on her mouth and a large flying saucer shaped hat sitting atop her head. I decided to not even bother acknowledging Mademoiselle Picket's existence anymore. "We should travel by bus more frequently, it'll be a humbling experience for you Missys." Yes, because drinking water from mason jars and using plastic shopping bags from K-Mart as a substitute for backpacks wasn't a humbling enough experience I thought to myself.

The bus took a sharp right turn, and several passengers gasped, most remaining silent and barely glancing around them, as if this was something they were used to. Nixs' head collided with mine, resulting both of us to rub our heads to soothe the burning sensation now lingering.

"Arriving at Oakland street." The robotic female voice spoke through the speakers above us. "Please click the buzzer if this is your stop." I smacked my hand on the red button and a beep echoed through the bus.

The bus came to a halt as we approached the next stop. The three of us climbed out of our seats in the middle of the bus- not the back because according to Mademoiselle Picket, that's where all the thugs sit and not the very front because according to Nix, anyone who is armed would make us their first victims.

We thanked the bus driver and climbed off and stepped on the solid concrete sidewalk. After spending thirty minutes in the bus, my body felt like jelly, my legs moving on their own accord.

The weather was pleasant. The day was crystal clear, no signs of any clouds, just the bright blue sky present from every direction. After a walking for several minutes, we arrived outside of Miami headquarters. Two security guards stood outside, armed with guns and a taser, the general security found back in New York as well.

When I first had arrived at Secretum, seeing the security guards posted at the front gates always used to unnerve me. I didn't understand why such scary looking people with scary looking toys were needed? I wasn't entirely naive, I knew the world wasn't just colors of red, green, and orange like my geography textbook had shown me in third grade. A sight that once would've frightened me was now comfort, a sign of safety.

We checked our IDs and were allowed into the headquarters, not before patting us through and checking on us for any weapons. I had a metal fork in my plastic bag...from my school lunch, definitely not other reason.

"I didn't know you eat soup with a fork Al." Nix hissed in my ear. I blinked at her and simply shrugged. If she thought I'd be walking around, unarmed, regardless of the lethal venom in me, she was very wrong. Even when I used to leave Secretum back in New York, I always used to carry something around with me, just as a safety precaution.

We walked down the hallway and the big front desk came into view.

Lisa was present at the reception, looked tired but she still mustered up a small smile for us.

Mademoiselle Picket didn't return the gesture.

Nix and I both greeted her, adding extra enthusiasm on Mademoiselle Picket's part.

"So, are you guys ready to check in?" We grudgingly nodded, neither of us wanting to talk to Hues but it's not like we had a choice.

"Yup. Super ready." I cringed at my own words.